GUNMA (TR) – Gunma Prefectural Police have arrested a 47-year-old man over the alleged fatal stabbing of his girlfriend at the nursing home in Maebashi City where she works on Wednesday night, reports TBS News (June 6).
At just after 7:00 p.m., Koichi Kishi is alleged to have repeatedly stabbed Kumiko Hirakawa, 49, in the neck and other areas of her body with a kitchen knife.
Hirakawa is currently unconscious and in critical condition at a hospital.
Police later arrested Kishi, a part-time worker from Maebashi City, on suspicion of attempted murder. During questioning, the suspect admitted to the charges. “I stabbed her with the intention of killing her,” he said.
Ambushed
According to police, Kishi and Hirakawa had been in a relationship for about 10 years. The suspect is believed to have attacked Hirakawa as she was leaving work for the day.
Hirakawa’s boss says to the network: “She worked until 7:00 p.m. [on Wednesday]. She had parked her car [near the nursing home]. But when she went out, a fellow employee found her arguing with a man. [The other employee] thought this was strange, so [they] drove over and honked their horn. [The other employee] then called for help from the night shift, and [another] male employee apprehended [the suspect].”
Kishi’s father says: “[He] had been worried about his relationship with [her] for about six months. I think he hadn’t seen her in about a month.”
Kishi hinted at ambushing Hirakawa before he left his house on Wednesday. Kishi’s father: “I don’t know if he was ambushing her, but it seems he went to her workplace and waited in the parking lot.”
Hirakawa is a certified care worker. She has been working at the facility for about five years.
Police said they could not find any record of consultations by Hirakawa about stalking or other issues.
